Switch Assembly for Vehicle Seat Belt Buckle

ABSTRACT

A switch assembly for a vehicle seat belt buckle comprising a switch housing defining an interior and a pocket, a cable extending into the interior and including hook-shaped ends extending around posts in the interior of the switch housing. In one embodiment, the interior of the switch housing includes first and second posts positioned in a co-linear and spaced apart relationship and the hook-shaped ends face each other and extend around the first posts and abut against the second posts. In one embodiment, the Hall Effect sensor is positioned in the pocket of the switch housing in an inclined relationship.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This patent application is a continuation application which claimspriority and benefit of the filing date of U.S. patent application Ser.No. 16/032,230 filed on Jul. 11, 2018, the disclosure and contents ofwhich is expressly incorporated herein in its entirety by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to vehicle seat belt buckle and, morespecifically, to a switch assembly for a vehicle seat belt buckle.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Vehicle seat belt buckles incorporate switch assemblies adapted tosignal the coupling or decoupling of the seat belt. Switch assembliesincorporate magnet/Hall Effect sensor assemblies in which the magnet islocated on the seat belt buckle, the Hall Effect sensor is located inthe switch housing, and buckling and unbuckling of the seat bucklegenerates changes in magnetic field which are sensed by the Hall Effectsensor for signaling whether the occupant has secured or removed his/herseat belt.

The present invention is directed to a new and improved switch assemblyfor such a vehicle seat belt buckle.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed to a switch assembly for a vehicleseat belt buckle comprising a switch housing defining an interior with apocket, a cable extending into the interior of the switch housing, and aHall Effect sensor located in the pocket of the switch housing in aninclined relationship and including terminals coupled to the cable.

In one embodiment, the switch housing includes interior posts, the cableincluding ends coupled to the interior posts and the terminals of theHall Effect sensor being coupled to the ends of the cable.

In one embodiment, the ends of the cable are hook-shaped and extendaround the interior posts.

The present invention is also directed to a switch assembly for avehicle seat belt buckle comprising a switch housing defining aninterior including a pocket and posts, a cable extending into theinterior of the switch housing and including ends coupled to the postsin the switch housing, and a sensor located in the pocket of the switchhousing, the sensor including terminals coupled to the ends of thecable.

In one embodiment, the ends of the cable are hook-shaped ends wraparound the posts in the interior of the switch housing.

In one embodiment, first and second posts are positioned in a spacedapart and co-linear relationship, the hook-shaped ends of the cable faceeach other and wrap around the first posts and abut against the secondposts.

In one embodiment, the sensor is a Hall Effect sensor located in thepocket in an inclined relationship.

The present invention is further directed to a switch assembly for avehicle seat belt buckle comprising a switch housing defining aninterior including a pocket and posts, a cable extending into theinterior of the switch housing and including hook-shaped ends coupled tothe posts in the switch housing, and a Hall Effect sensor located in thepocket in the interior of the switch housing and including terminalscoupled to the hook-shaped ends of the cable.

In one embodiment, first and second posts are positioned in a co-linearand spaced apart relationship, the hook-shaped ends of the cable facingeach other and extending around the first posts and abutting against thesecond posts.

In one embodiment, the cable includes first and second wires includingfirst and second hook-shaped ends respectively and including a pair offirst and second posts positioned in a co-linear and spaced apartrelationship on opposed sides of and spaced from a central wall in theinterior of the housing, the first and second hook-shaped ends extendingaround the first posts respectively and abutting the second postsrespectively.

In one embodiment, the Hall Effect sensor is located in the pocket inthe interior of the switch housing in an inclined relationship.

Other advantages and features of the present invention will be morereadily apparent from the following detailed description of thepreferred embodiments of the invention, the accompanying drawings, andthe appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other features of the invention can best be understood by thedescription of the accompanying FIGS as follows:

FIG. 1 is a partly broken perspective view of a vehicle seat belt buckleincluding a switch assembly in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a partly broken perspective view of the vehicle seat beltbuckle shown in FIG. 1 with the switch assembly removed therefrom;

FIG. 3 is a partly broken enlarged top perspective view of the switchassembly of the present invention with the over molded cover removedtherefrom;

FIG. 4 is a partly broken enlarged top perspective view of the switchassembly shown in FIG. 3 with the Hall Effect sensor and associatedwiring separated and exploded from the switch assembly housing;

FIG. 5 is a partly broken enlarged vertical cross-sectional view of theswitch assembly taken along the line 5-5 in FIG. 3; and

FIG. 6 is an enlarged vertical cross-sectional view of the switchassembly taken along the line 6-6 in FIG. 3.

DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENT

FIGS. 1 and 2 depict a vehicle seat belt buckle 10 with an associatedcable 12 and incorporating a switch assembly 20 in accordance with thepresent invention.

FIG. 1 shows the switch assembly 20 extending into the interior of thevehicle seat belt buckle 10 while FIG. 2 shows the switch assembly 20separated and disconnected from the vehicle seat belt buckle 10.

The switch assembly 20 as shown in particular detail in FIGS. 3, 4, 5,and 6, comprises a generally “T” shaped switch assembly housing 22 whichhouses a cable/wiring assembly 24 and a Hall Effect integrated circuit(IC) sensor 90. The housing 22 is made of any suitable molded plasticmaterial and includes a proximal clip portion 26 defining the top of the“T”, an elongate middle or central cable/wiring housing portion 28unitary with and extending generally normally outwardly from the clipportion 26 and defining the base or leg of the “T”, a Hall Effect sensorhousing portion 30 unitary with and co-linear with the centralcable/wire housing portion 28, and a distal tip 31 unitary with andextending co-linearly outwardly from the Hall Effect sensor housingportion 30.

The clip portion 26 includes a pair of outwardly extending wings 32 and34 and defines a central through aperture 33 located between the wings32 and 34 and adapted to receive the cable/wire 80 of the cable/wiringassembly 24. Each of the wings 32 and 34 includes a pair of distal clipfingers 36 and 38 adapted to allow for clipping and securing of theswitch assembly 20 within the interior of the vehicle seat belt buckle10.

The central cable/wire housing portion 28 of the switch assembly housing22 includes a plurality of walls including a lower/bottom horizontalbase wall 33 and a pair of opposed vertical side walls 45 and 47together defining an interior elongate housing cavity or recess 40.

A plurality of walls/posts extend upwardly normally from the interiorsurface of the bottom horizontal wall 33 of the housing 22 and into theinterior housing cavity or recess 40 including a central elongate wall42 extending generally centrally co-linearly with the longitudinal axisof the switch assembly housing 22; a pair of diametrically opposed walls44 and 46 located on opposed sides of, generally parallel to, and spacedfrom the central wall 42; a first pair of posts 48 and 50 located on oneside of, generally parallel to, and spaced from the central wall 42; anda second pair of posts 52 and 54 located on the other side of, generallyparallel to, and spaced from the central wall 42 in a relationshipdiametrically opposed to the first pair of posts 48 and 50 and furtherin a relationship co-linear and spaced from the walls 44 and 46respectively.

The walls 44 and 46 are located proximate and spaced from the proximalclip portion 26 of the housing 22. The posts 48, 50, 52, and 54 arelocated proximate the Hall Effect sensor housing portion 30 and distaltip 31 of the housing 22.

Each of the walls 44 and 46 includes a jagged or serrated or saw toothshaped exterior surface 44 a and 46 a respectively. Each of the sidewalls 45 and 47 of the housing 22 includes respective jagged or serratedor saw tooth shaped interior portions 45 a and 47 a located opposite andspaced from the respective walls 44 and 46 and, more specifically,located opposite and spaced from the respective jagged or serrated orsaw tooth shaped exterior surfaces 44 a and 46 a thereof respectively.

Each of the walls 44 and 46 is located between and spaced from thecentral wall 42 and the respective opposed housing side walls 45 and 47so as to define respective generally curvilinearly shaped elongaterecesses or apertures or receptacles 60 and 62 on opposite sides of andspaced from the central wall 42 and positioned relative to each otherand the central wall 42 in a diametrically opposed and parallelrelationship on opposed sides of the central wall 42.

The posts 48 and 50 are spaced from each other in the longitudinaldirection so as to define a recess or opening 51 a therebetween. Theposts 52 and 54 are spaced from each other in the longitudinal directionso as to define a recess or opening 53 a therebetween and diametricallyopposed to the recess or opening 51 a.

The posts 48 and 50 are further positioned on one side of and spacedfrom the central wall 42 in a relationship forming and defining a recess51 b between the exterior housing wall 45 and the posts 48 and 50 and arecess 51 c between the posts 48 and 50 and the central wall 42.

In a like manner, the posts 52 and 54 are positioned on the opposedtransverse side of and spaced from the central wall 42 in a relationshipforming and defining a recess 53 b between the exterior housing wall 47and the posts 52 and 54 and a recess 53 c between the posts 52 and 54and the housing side wall 47. The recesses 51 b and 51 c and therecesses 53 b and 53 c are positioned in a diametrically opposedrelationship on opposite sides of the central wall 42.

The switch assembly housing 22 and, more specifically, the Hall Effectsensor housing portion 30 thereof, includes a wall 70 protrudingunitarily upwardly from the interior surface of the bottom housing wall33 into the interior cavity 40. The top exterior surface of the wall 70is angled and slopes outwardly and downwardly in the direction of thedistal tip 31 and the bottom housing wall 33.

The switch assembly housing 22 and, more specifically, the Hall Effectsensor housing portion 30 thereof, also includes an upper wall 72 spacedfrom the lower inclined wall 70 and defining therebetween an interioropen pocket 74 in the interior housing cavity 40 adapted for receivingand housing the Hall Effect sensor 90 in a relationship with the HallEffect sensor 90 positioned therein in a sloped or angled relationshipand seated on and extending outwardly from an edge of the wall 70.

The switch assembly housing 22 and, more specifically, the Hall Effectsensor housing portion 30 thereof, also defines a bottom through opening75 that allows for the molding of the interior wall 72 during theforming of the switch assembly housing 22.

The distal tip 31 of the switch assembly housing 22 includes a pluralityof exterior angled surfaces including opposed angled exteriordiametrically opposed top and bottom surfaces 31 a and 31 b and opposedangled exterior diametrically opposed side surfaces 31 c and 31 d. Allof the surfaces 31 a, 31 b, 31 c, and 31 d all angle or slope inwardlyfrom the Hall Effect sensor housing portion 30 in the direction of andtowards the distal end of the distal tip 31.

The surfaces 31 a, 31 b, 31 c, and 31 d are adapted for guiding theswitch assembly 20 into the interior of the seat belt buckle when theswitch assembly 20 is inserted and secured into the seat belt buckle 10during assembly.

The cable 80 of the cable/wire assembly 24 is composed of and includes apair of elongate electrical wires 82 and 84 terminating in respectivegenerally curvilinear or hook-shaped distal terminal ends 82 a and 84 arespectively.

The Hall Effect sensor 90 includes a pair of elongate electricalterminals 92 and 94 extending outwardly therefrom.

The cable/wire assembly 24 is located and seated within the interiorcavity 40 of the switch housing 22 in a relationship with the cable 84extending through the through aperture 33 defined in the base 26 of theswitch housing 22; the wires 80 and 82 extending through the respectiverecesses 60 and 62 defined in the central portion of the housing 22; andthe hook-shaped distal ends 82 a and 84 a extending and hooked aroundthe respective posts 48 and 52 and extending through and located in thehousing recesses 51 a, 51 b, and 51 c and the recesses 53 a, 53 b, and53 c respectively for securing the wires 82 and 84 in the interiorcavity 40 of the switch assembly housing 22.

As more particularly shown in FIG. 3, the hook-shaped ends 82 a and 84 aare positioned and nestled in place in the interior of the switchhousing 22 in a relationship with the interior side surfaces thereofabutting against and extending around the exterior side surface of therespective posts 48 and 52 and the exterior side surfaces thereofabutting against the exterior side surfaces of the central wall 42 andthe respective posts 50 and 54. Thus, the posts 48, 50, 52, and 54 incombination with the central wall 42 hold the wire ends 82 a and 84 afirmly in place and against movement in the interior of the switchhousing 22. Still more specifically as shown in FIG. 3, the hook-shapedends 82 a and 84 a are positioned and nestled in place in the interiorof the switch housing 22 in a relationship with the distal free ends 82b and 84 b of the respective hook-shaped ends 82 a and 84 a nestled inthe respective recesses 51 c and 53 c defined between the respectiveposts 48 and 52 and the central wall 42 and, still more specifically, ina relationship with the exterior side face of the respective distal freeends 82 b and 84 b of the respective hook-shaped ends 82 a and 84 afacing and abutting against the opposed exterior side surfaces of thecentral housing wall 42 and the respective posts 52 and, still morespecifically, in a relationship with the distal free ends 82 b and 84 bfacing each other and separated from each other by the central housingwall 42. Thus, in the embodiment of FIG. 3, the hook-shaped ends 82 aand 84 a are positioned and located in a relationship facing each otherand the central housing wall 42.

The Hall Effect sensor 90 is located and seated in the interior cavity40 of the switch assembly housing 22 in a relationship with the HallEffect sensor 90 located in the pocket 74 defined in the distal HallEffect sensor housing portion 30 of the switch assembly housing 22 andfurther in a relationship with the distal end of the respectiveelectrical terminals 92 and 94 extending from the Hall Effect sensor 90rearwardly in the direction of the central housing portion 28 and stillmore specifically in a relationship with the free distal ends of therespective Hall Effect sensor terminals 92 and 94 extending into therespective recesses 51 c and 53 c defined between the respective posts48 and 52 and the central wall 42 and then coupled to, as by solderingor the like, to the hook-shaped distal ends 82 a and 84 a respectivelyof the wires 80 and 82 respectively of the electrical cable 84.

Still more specifically, the free distal ends of the respective HallEffect sensor terminals 92 and 94 are coupled to, as by soldering or thelike, to the underside of the free distal ends 82 b and 84 b of therespective hook-shaped distal ends 82 a and 84 a and, still morespecifically, are coupled together in a relationship in which theterminals 92 and 94 and the free distal ends 82 b and 84 b are orientedand positioned in an abutting and overlying co-linear and co-planarrelationship.

After the cable assembly 24 and Hall Effect sensor 90 have been locatedwithin the interior of the switch housing 22 as described above, plasticmaterial 29 is over molded into the interior cavity 40 of the switchhousing 22 for retaining and securing the cable assembly 24 and HallEffect sensor 90 in the interior of the switch housing 22.

The switch housing 22 and more specifically the structure of theinterior cavity 40 thereof and still more specifically the structurethereof defining the pocket 74 for the Hall Effect sensor 90 eliminatesthe need for the Hall Effect sensor 90 to be mounted on a separateprinted circuit board and the respective terminals 92 and 94 thereofallow the Hall Effect sensor 90 to be coupled electrically directly tothe wires 82 and 84 of the cable 80 via the hook-shaped ends 82 a and 84a respectively.

Moreover, locating the Hall Effect sensor 90 in the switch housing 22 atan angle or inclined relationship relative to the switch housinglongitudinal axis and still more specifically at an angle or inclinerelative to the magnet 100, shown in simplified form in FIG. 5 butunderstood to be located in the interior of the seat belt buckle 10,provides for an optimal position of the sensor element 102 located inthe interior of the Hall Effect sensor 90 relative to the magnet 100.

Still further, the combination of the walls, recesses, posts, andpockets defined in the interior of the switch housing 22 and asdescribed above in detail in combination provide and define structurefor securely positioning and electrically connecting the cable wires 80and 82, the Hall Effect sensor 90, and the Hall Effect terminals 92 and94.

In particular, the jagged or serrated surfaces 44 a, 45 a, 46 a, and 47a on the respective walls 44, 45, 46, and 47 advantageously prevent themovement of the respective wires 82 and 84 once located in therespective recesses 60 and 62 thus preventing the decoupling of thehook-shaped ends 82 a and 84 a thereof from the respective Hall Effectsensor terminal ends 92 and 94 during assembly or use.

Additionally, the use of wires 82 and 84 with respective hook-shapedends 82 a and 84 a which are wrapped/extended around or hooked torespective posts 48 and 52 formed in the interior of the switch housing22 and abutted against the respective posts 50 and 54 and the centralwall 42 also provides for a secure coupling of the Hall Effect sensorterminals 92 and 94 to the respective hook-shaped ends 82 a and 84 a ofthe respective wires 82 and 84 and eliminates the risk of decoupling ofthe same from each other due to the normal stresses applied theretoduring assembly and use.

Particularly, the use of wires with hook-shaped ends 82 a and 84 awrapped around respective posts 48 and 52 in a relationship with thehook-shaped ends 82 a and 84 a facing each other eliminates the risk ofdecoupling of the Hall Effect sensor terminals 92 and 94 from therespective free ends 82 b and 84 b in the event of the application of aforce on the cable 80 sufficient to cause the movement of the cable 80rearwardly away from the buckle 20.

Still more specifically, and as shown in FIG. 3, it is understood thatthe application of a withdrawal force on the cable 80 rearwardly awayfrom the buckle 20 and generally designated by the arrow WF in FIG. 3,would result in the movement of the respective wires 82 and 84rearwardly in the direction of the clip portion 26 which in turn wouldresult in the respective clockwise and counter-clockwise rotation of therespective hook-shaped wire ends 82 a and 84 a about the respectiveposts 48 and 52 which in turn would result in the forward movement ofthe respective free ends 82 b and 84 b of the respective hook-shapedends 82 a and 84 b in the direction of the distal tip 31 of the switchhousing 31 which, in turn, would result in the forward movement of theHall Effect sensor terminals 92 and 94 coupled thereto also in thedirection of the distal tip 31 of the switch housing 22 which, in turn,would result in the forward movement of the Hall Effect sensor 90 in theinterior pocket 74 of the switch housing 22. Thus, it is understood thatthe use of wires with hook-shaped ends 82 a and 84 a facing each otherand wrapped around respective posts 48 and 52 advantageously results, inthe event of the application of a withdrawal force on the cable 80, inthe combined and joint movement of the wire ends 82 a and 84 a and HallEffect terminals 92 and 94, rather than the undesirable decoupling ofthe Hall Effect terminals 92 and 94 from the respective wire ends 82 aand 84 a.

Numerous variations and modifications of the switch assembly for avehicle seat belt buckle as described above may be effected withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of the novel features of theinvention. It is to be understood that no limitations with respect tothe specific switch assembly for the vehicle seat belt buckleillustrated herein are intended or should be inferred. It is, of course,intended to cover by the appended claims all such modifications as fallwithin the scope of the claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A switch assembly comprising: a switch housingdefining a longitudinal axis and an interior; a cable extending into theinterior of the switch housing; and a sensor located in the interior ofthe switch housing in an angled relationship relative to thelongitudinal axis of the switch housing and coupled to the cable.
 2. Theswitch assembly of claim 1 wherein the switch housing includes interiorposts, the cable including ends coupled to the interior posts and thesensor including terminals coupled to the ends of the cable.
 3. Theswitch assembly of claim 2 wherein the cable includes hook-shapedextending around the interior posts.
 4. A switch assembly comprising: aswitch housing defining an interior including posts; a cable extendinginto the interior of the switch housing and coupled to the posts in theswitch housing; and a sensor located in the interior of the switchhousing and coupled to the cable.
 5. The switch assembly of claim 4wherein the cable includes ends that wrap around the posts in theinterior of the switch housing.
 6. The switch assembly of claim 5including first and second spaced apart posts in the interior of theswitch housing, the cable including hook-shaped ends facing each otherand wrapping around the first posts and abutting against the secondposts.
 7. The switch assembly of claim 4 wherein the sensor is a HallEffect sensor located in the interior of the switch housing.
 8. A switchassembly comprising: a switch housing defining an interior including apocket and posts; a cable extending into the interior of the switchhousing and including hook-shaped ends coupled to the posts in theswitch housing; and a Hall Effect sensor located in the pocket in theinterior of the switch housing and including terminals coupled to thehook-shaped ends of the cable.
 9. The switch assembly of claim 8including first and second posts positioned in a co-linear and spacedapart relationship, the hook-shaped ends of the cable facing each otherand extending around the first posts and abutting against the secondposts.
 10. The switch assembly of claim 8 wherein the cable includesfirst and second wires including first and second hook-shaped endsrespectively and including a pair of first and second spaced apart postson opposed sides of and spaced from a central wall in the interior ofthe housing, the first and second hook-shaped ends extending around thefirst posts respectively and abutting the second posts respectively. 11.The switch assembly of claim 8 wherein the Hall Effect sensor is locatedin the pocket in the interior of the switch housing in an inclinedrelationship.